What is meant by the “first resurrection?”

    "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:5a). Now notice carefully, the Old Testament saints, the New Testament saints, and the Tribulation martyrs "live" at the beginning of the Millennium. And this is called "the first resurrection." While the words "second resurrection" or "last resurrection" do not occur in the text, it is made perfectly clear that there is another resurrection. John says, " But the rest of the dead did not “live” again until the thousand years were finished." The Scripture teaches two resurrections, separated by 1000 years.

    Now notice who is raised in the first resurrection: only believers! "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). They are the same group we met in verse 4: Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, and Tribulation martyrs.

    Now that raises a question. Are these all raised at the same time after the Tribulation? Please note this carefully: The first resurrection is not an isolated event. It is an order of resurrections including ultimately all the righteous dead who are raised before the Millennium begins. They are first in comparison to those who are last, the unbelievers who are raised after the Millennium to stand before the Great White Throne.

    There is an order to the first resurrection, and we need to remember that. First, there is Christ. And that resurrection was almost 2000 years ago. Second, the saints of this Church Age (1^st. Thessalonians 4:13-16) who shall be raised at the Rapture before the Tribulation. Third, Old Testament saints and Tribulation martyrs, who shall be raised at the end of the Tribulation to enjoy the Millennium.

    Now, just as there are two resurrections (first and last), so there are two deaths: physical death and what the Scriptures call the second death. The second death is defined for us in Revelation 20:13. It says, "And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hades delivered up the dead that were in them, and they were judged, every man according to their works. And death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast down into the lake of fire."

    The second death is a reference to eternal judgment. The lake of fire. So those who are a part of the first resurrection shall reign with Christ. Those who are a part of the second resurrection shall experience eternal agony in the lake of fire.

Now you don't have to wait for the second resurrection. That's the best news I have for you today. 

The 1000-year Reign

    Premillennialism, is the view that Christ will return before the Millennium. He will return to the earth before this 1000-year reign and He personally will establish it. While there are different approaches and different emphases among Pre-millennialists, the most widely held form understands the Millennium as a literal 1000 year period during which Christ will reign on earth as the supreme spiritual and political leader, fulfilling the many Old Testament promises concerning a kingdom on earth in which the nation Israel is prominent and the Gentile nations are blessed. I believe the Apostle John has inserted a chronological note at progressive stages through this revelation that makes the order of events conclusive, and unquestionably substantiates the doctrine of Premillennialism. That phrase is "And I saw." Look at its use at key intervals;

In Revelation 19:11, he saw heaven open and Christ return. In Revelation 19:17 and the following verses he saw the downfall of the beast and his armies. In Revelation 20:1, he sees Satan bound. In Revelation 20:4, he sees believers reigning with Christ. In Revelation 20:11 and 12, he sees a great white throne and the final judgment of unbelievers. These events build on one another, each succeeding event depending on the one that preceded it. Such chronological notes like “until the thousand years were finished” in Revelation 20:5 and “when the thousand years are ended” in Revelation 20:7 make it clear that John in relating the events in their proper order.

    There is no way to interpret or symbolize these words and say that these words do not mean what they say (yet that is what Amillennialists and Postmillennialists do). If you believe that these words mean what they say, then this demands a Premillennialist viewpoint. I believe firmly in the Premillennial point of view because I believe very strongly that the Scripture teaches it. There is no question that Christ is going to come back before the Millennium to establish His kingdom on earth. The repetition of the words "thousand years" six times over in Revelation 20:1-7 would leave no doubt but that God wanted us to understand this as a literal period of time.

    The Millennium is the subject of Revelation 20:1-6, and what we are told here is simply that during this Millennium, we shall reign with Christ. This is just the beginning. That reign will last forever. At the conclusion of the Millennium, time ceases and the eternal state begins. Of course, eternity is in existence today above the framework of time, but time will stop and the reign will go on forever. The book of Revelation says that. This is not contradictory. We're simply studying the initial phase on earth in time. But over in Revelation 22:5, we read concerning eternity, that there shall be no night and they need no lamp or have need for the light of the sun because the Lord God gives them light and they--there's that "they" again; --they shall reign forever and ever. More on this next week...

The Wedding Supper continues;

Who is the Bridegroom? The question has but one answer. The Bridegroom can only be "the king's son" of the Parable, the Lord Jesus Himself. In John 3:29, long after John the Baptist had introduced Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world", John was asked to identify himself. He made it clear that he was not the Christ, he referred to Christ as "the bridegroom," and to himself as: "the friend who attends the bridegroom [and who] waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice." Clearly Christ is here referred to as the Bridegroom as well at the Lamb. Thus, Christ is the Bridegroom at the marriage of the Lamb.

Who is the Bride? A verse of importance is found in Ephesians 5:32. The Apostle Paul, speaking to husbands and wives of their relationship together, likens the husband to Christ and the wife to the Church. He sums it up (in verse 32) by saying, "This is a profound mystery: but I am talking about Christ and the church", clearly indicating that the perfect picture of the relationship between the Lord Jesus and His Church is that of a bride and a bridegroom. Therefore, when a person accepts Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a member of the Church, the true invisible Church, and is automatically espoused or engaged to Christ. This engagement will be finalized at the marriage of the Lamb.

Where and When Will This Marriage Take Place? The marriage of the Lamb must take place in heaven, for in Revelation 19:11, after the marriage of the Lamb and the marriage supper of the Lamb, we find the Lord Jesus coming in what we call "the Glorious Appearing" to set up His kingdom. For this reason, we must conclude that the marriage and the supper have occurred in heaven. Their location in Revelation chapter 19, shows these events to have taken place at the end of the Tribulation, just before the millennial reign of Christ on the earth. Ephesians 5:27 indicates the manner in which the Bride will be presented to Christ: "a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." This condition will exist only after the judgment of Christ when believers have been completely cleansed and the Church is made whole. For that reason, I believe that the Judgment Seat of Christ, which will take place during the Tribulation, will precede the marriage supper of the Lamb, and immediately after the judgment of reward has been presented to believers, the marriage of the Lamb will take place. All Christians who have trusted in Christ during the age of grace, from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church, will make up His Bride.

The Identity of the Guests: Some invited to the wedding ceremony are guests and not the Bride. Obviously, a bride is never invited to a wedding supper, nor is a bridegroom. Those who are invited are the friends of the bride and groom. Who are these friends or guests? It cannot be the Church because the Church is the Bride. John the Baptist, one of the last Old Testament saints, indicated that he was a friend of the Bridegroom (John 3:29). These Old Testament saints will be in heaven and will have their rewards, but they are not the Church, not the Bride of the Christ. They are the friends of the Bride and Bridegroom, who at this point, can be seen as the ones invited as guests to the feast. So then, all the believing dead from Adam until the resurrection of Christ will be guests at this feast. In addition to them will appear those who have received the Savior during the Tribulation, both Jew and Gentile, many of who will have been martyred for the testimony of Christ.

What happens after the wedding? Join me next week...

“Saved the best for last!”

    The words “blessed are they” or “you are blessed” appear sixty times in the Bible. Just the word “blessed” by itself appears two hundred and seventeen times. Many times the context is repetitious, but the fact remains that if you are a Christian, a true Christ believer and follower, a born-again and Spirit filled disciple, you are blessed in many ways! We have looked at some of those blessings in the last three chapters, but as the old saying goes, God has saved the best for last! These last blessings come from the last three chapters of the Book of Revelation, and as wonderful and awesome as all of our earthly blessings are now in this life, they pale in comparison to our eternal blessings to come.

   To that end, I want to cover the following scriptures;

Revelation 19:9 – “Then the angel said to me, write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”

Revelation 20:5-6 – “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.”

Revelation 20:14 – “Then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death!”

Revelation 21:8 – “But, the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death!”

Revelation 22:14 – “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may go through the gates into the city.”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

    The marriage supper of the Lamb is a subject greatly misunderstood, not because of erroneous teaching, but because it is almost neglected in preaching today. The marriage supper of the Lamb is after the Rapture and following the judgment seat of Christ, where the members of the church will be rewarded for their faithful service. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10)

    A marriage will take place. The church, "the bride of Christ" and our Lord Jesus Christ (the bridegroom) will be officially married in heaven. While the earth is suffering through the last throes of the Tribulation, the church will enjoy a heavenly wedding. And then a feast! 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

    The marriage supper of the Lamb was one of the themes on which the Lord Jesus loved to dwell. In many of His stories or parables, He spoke of marriage suppers. For instance, in the parable of the ten virgins, He told about the preparation for the coming of the bridegroom. Matthew 22:1-14 – “Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. (Israelites) Then he sent some more servants (Prophets) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So, go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, (Gentile and Israelite believers) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

More on this next week...

    Let me take you back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and pull out some verses that will sort of wrap around what Jesus is saying here and tie a bow on it. Matthew 4:23 says that - “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Matthew 9:35 – “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.” Luke 16:16 – “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached.” Matthew 6:10 – “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 10:7 – “As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Over and over in the Parables Jesus repeated the words – “The kingdom of God is like…” So, my question is “What was the focus of Jesus’ teaching and preaching?” The kingdom.

    Luke 4:43 tells us – “But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” He has been doing this for nearly three years now, and the people still don’t get it! In fact, the disciples are not really sure that they get it! So, Jesus takes the time to fully explain the Parables to them. He says “the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” This begs the question, “Why?” Well it’s an “eye, ear, and heart” issue! Listen again to the answer Jesus gave them to their question – “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts.” The people were following Jesus around, but they were not really seeking. Here is the first key to being a seeker; Our hearts, souls, and minds must be filled with the desire to know and love God completely; with no reservations. If we have this desire, then our eyes will be fully open to see truth in God’s Word; our ears will be fully open to hear all that is preached and taught through sermons and Bible studies; and our hearts will be opened to understanding through the work of the Holy Spirit. In Christian circles we call this a “hunger for God and His Word”.

    It is when our “hunger and thirst for righteousness” is filled by the life-giving understanding of the Holy Spirit, that we are truly Blessed!

    The fourth beatitude is “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” It’s like he was telling them that despite their circumstances, they could seek after God and the righteousness that He desires and they would be filled with the right knowledge, the right thinking, the right actions, and the right attitudes that would change the world…the kind of world that God envisions.

    Beatitudes five through nine represent something else. They move away from things we experience to the things I mentioned in the fourth beatitude, things that lead to righteousness.

    “Blessed are the merciful” says Jesus; “Blessed are the pure in heart”; Blessed are the peacemakers” … This world knows too much cruelty, intolerance, and harshness. Strife and violence are tearing our world apart. The current divide in our own country seems fueled by those who have become so convinced of their own virtue and vice, they have no desire for reconciliation nor compromise. The path of Christ requires the arduous effort of finding common ground, of seeing the opponent’s view point, of admitting that we might be wrong, and becoming peacemakers.

    “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” … “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” If you strive to live as Christ lived, you will be at odds with the values and traditions of our culture. You may even become a target. Stand firm! Stand for what is right! Be merciful…Be a peacemaker… strive to have a pure heart…Be kingdom minded, you are blessed!

    One of my favorite parts of New Testament scripture is Matthew chapter 13. It’s the parables of Jesus. He tells them the Parable of the Sower, then his disciples ask him; “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” It’s almost like the disciples are saying; “The people understand the story, but they don’t get the point!” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Blessed

Chapter 2 – “Upside-down blessings”

Matthew 5:3-11

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.”
“Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.”
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
“Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.”
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.”
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of        righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

    Perhaps the most famous use of the word “blessed” is found in the Sermon on the Mount. Right at the start of the sermon, we learn that Jesus went and sat down. Was the equivalent of walking up to the pulpit all “mic-ed” up. Expectations were high, everyone was hanging on his every word,,, and the key note speech begins… “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”…“Blessed are those who mourn…Wait … What?”

    Billy Graham wrote a book about this and called them “The Be-attitudes”. It may be a good way to remember them, but what this is not is a list of people whom God blesses. What they are is “good news” in fact, they were and are wonderful news! Jesus comes announcing that the worlds values have been turned upside down! With His coming things have changed. “The first shall be last” (Matthew 20:16); “Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.” (Matthew 20:26) Does Jesus not understand that to attract followers and boost numbers, you need star status? Surely the wealthy are blessed! The beautiful are blessed! The powerful are blessed! Not so, says Jesus.

    New Testament scholars point out that the beatitudes consist of two groups. The first four describe not personal qualities but oppressive situations of distress that are “blessed” because they will be reversed in God’s Kingdom. When Jesus says they are blessed, he is not saying that they should put on a smile and whistle a tune. He is saying that God cares deeply for them and they should find comfort and hope in that fact. While some may not know what it is to know poverty, we can all relate to what it means to have a depressed spirit because of certain circumstances at times. We all know what it is to mourn, or what it is like to feel meek or incompetent. He was refuting the popular notion that those who suffer in some way are being punished by God, and those who were living the “good” life were being blessed. That just is not true.

Blessed

“Lord fill my quiver!”

Psalm 127:3-5

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”

    You can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats children. In the Old Testament while the pagans sacrificed their children to pagan gods, the Jews taught their children these words: “Hear, O Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). They took God seriously when he said to impress these truths upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (vv. 7-9). 

    Our children are gifts from God. We should treasure them and not take them for granted. Jesus declared that “whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me” (Mathew 18:5). Then he offered this solemn warning, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea“ (Matthew 18:6). Because Jesus loves children, those who harm children will answer to him.

    There is no joy in life that can equal the pleasure of seeing your own children grow up (except for grandchildren). So much like you, made in your image, a miniature of you, yet so very different. They walk like you, they talk like you, they laugh like you, and yet they definitely have a mind of their own. You love them, you get angry with them, you discipline them. You try to spare them harm by teaching them the dangers in life, but sometimes they learn the hard way. No one can be said to have lived in vain who leaves behind children who love the Lord and follow in  his steps. 

    Children bring God’s love to us. When you look into the face of your child, or if you are really blessed a grandchild, you will know that only God could have done this. Your doubts will vanish like the morning mist in summertime. Time and eternity meet in the heart of a child. Each one comes bearing the fingerprint of God.

    An arrow is small but powerful. Like arrows that are shot into the future, think what our children can do. An arrow must be sharpened well; so must we shape our children. An arrow can travel far. Who knows how far our children will go? An arrow must be aimed in order to hit the target. What are kind of future are you aiming at?

    Archers spend countless hours preparing their arrows. They carefully choose the right piece of wood, cut it precisely to size, then spend hours polishing, shaping, and fitting the feathers and the arrowhead. They carefully aim their arrows because an errant arrow can do great harm.

    Most Christian parents are playing defense with their children when they ought to be playing offense. Playing defense means hoping your children won’t smoke, won’t drink, won’t do drugs, won’t sleep around, and won’t get in trouble. As good as that is, that’s too low a goal for Christian parents. We ought to raise our children to play offense, to learn how to change the world for Jesus Christ. We ought to pray that God would make our children “impact players” for Jesus Christ.

    Sometimes our dreams for our children are too small. We want them to get an education, find a career, settle down, marry a good person, and move out of the house. That’s not enough. Do you want your children to serve the Lord? It won’t happen by accident. You must sharpen them like arrows and aim them in the right direction.

    God doesn’t mandate how many children a couple should have. Quivers are like shoes, they come in many sizes. Age and health considerations play into the decision, but motive is also important. Having fewer children may be convenient, but it may not always be the best decision. My wife Judy and I decided that three was enough for us, but I have always also said that I wanted a quiver full of grandchildren.

    Children were the Biblical version of Social Security. They provided for their parents in their old age. If parents have loving children, their future is more secure than if they had $1 million in the bank.

    Derek Kidner points out that “raising children can be tiresome and difficult” and that is certainly true. Children are both a burden and a blessing. It is likely that our children will be a handful before they become a quiverful.

    We can partner with the Lord Jesus Christ in the building of our homes. When we do, our families will be blessed, our children will prosper, our marriages will flourish, and Jesus Christ will be praised. I speak from personal experience. There is no greater reward, no better testimony, no higher goal for Christian parents. “May you live to see your grandchildren playing at your feet.”  

Nugget #7 – “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

    Have you ever wondered why Jesus Christ had to leave the earth? Have you ever wished that He was still here, walking around, healing, teaching and training? Have you ever wished you could touch Him and eat with Him and talk with Him? I know I have. Some days I just long to sit at Jesus’ feet and have Him teach me about God as only He can. This is especially a longing of mine when I struggle with the meaning of God’s words in certain accounts in the Bible. I want to be able to go to Jesus and say, “Hey … what does this mean?”

    Jesus knows what is best for us, which is why He says in John 16:5-8;

“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”

    Do you see it? If Jesus had not left, the Holy Spirit would not have come. I don’t know why this is, but it is what Jesus said, and we need to trust it. When Jesus was here, it was wonderful. He could be seen and heard, and touched. But the drawback was that He could only be in one place at one time. But when Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit which He had promised, so that now, instead of Jesus being in only one place at a time so that those who wanted to hear or see Him would have to travel half-way across the world, we have the Holy Spirit, who is in every Christian, all the time, every moment of every day.

    So, I would still like to have Jesus here, but I think it is better that we have the Holy Spirit. This passage in John 16 tells us that He is at work in the world convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. And the rest of John 16 tells us that the Spirit teaches Christians and guides us into truth. He can do this everywhere and all the time without growing weary or hungry as Jesus did. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come, and in Acts chapter 2 He came, and has been with us ever since. That is the “promise” Paul refers to in verse 13.

    So, what is this sealing that verse 13 talks about? It says we have been “marked with a seal”. In Paul’s day seals were used in at least four ways. First, seals were sometimes put on letters to guarantee that it was genuine and that it was written by who it claimed to be written by. Kings might seal their letters with a signet ring. We do something similar when we get a document notarized.

    A seal was also sometimes placed on goods or merchandise that was traveling from one place to another to indicate who they belonged to and where they were going. It indicated ownership. Again, we do this with our possessions today all the time. We write our names in our books, or on our kid’s clothes when they go to camp. Ranchers brand their cattle. They are placing a mark on it to show ownership.

    The third way seals were used in Paul’s day was to show something was authentic and approved. Sometimes when we buy clothes, in one of the pockets will be a little piece of paper saying it has been inspected and approved by someone.

    The fourth type of seal was for protection or warning. Remember when Jesus was put in the tomb, Pilate told the soldiers to put his personal seal upon the tomb. This was to protect the tomb and warn everyone to stay away and keep out!

    So, Paul says here that God has placed a seal upon us as well. It is to guarantee that we are genuine, it shows ownership, who we belong to, it shows that we are approved, and it provides us with protection or security.

    Now, this mark is not visible to you and me. Neither is it revealed by some sort of spiritual manifestations like being slain in the spirit or speaking in tongues or laughing hysterically. The sealing of the Spirit is invisible to us in the physical realm. There are however, some signs that may show a person has the Holy Spirit in them. According to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. So, if a person has some or all of these, it is a good indication that they also have the Holy Spirit. We cannot see the wind, but we can see what the wind does. It is the same with the Spirit. So, this sealing of the Spirit is an invisible mark.

    The Holy Spirit is a seal and a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. As great as the gift of the Holy Spirit is, He is only a deposit, a foretaste, a small glimpse of the beauty, glory, greatness, and majesty that awaits us in eternity with the redemption of our bodies and the life to come.

    The stability and power of the apostle Paul came from one great discovery: that God's desire for his people is that we feel secure in his love and in his power, even if everything else in the world is uncertain. That's what I want you to feel today as a child of God.

    And, once again, just in case we forgot, Paul tells us that this is to the praise of His glory. It is all for God’s glory. Not ours. It is for God’s glory alone that He is giving these wonderful riches to us. If Ephesians 1:1-14 were the only verses of the Bible we had…I would feel Blessed!  But there’s more…

Nugget #6 – “With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment.” (Ephesians 1:9-10)

    There is a Divine purpose that is driving every single aspect of salvation. This mystery does not concern the hidden and mystifying things of the universe. This mystery relates to God’s will, what He has purposed to do. It is the disclosure of absolute determinations. God is not divulging what you can do, but what He has determined will be done. He does this in order that we might participate in His purpose. If we desire to do God’s will, then we need to know what His will is; His ultimate will or purpose.  

    There are Divine agendas that are being served by time. But, there is one grand purpose toward which everything is moving. It is a Divinely appointed conclusion for the world as we know it, and it is wholly suitable for a great, wise, and powerful God! The duration of the world has been appointed by God Himself, and it will not extend one second beyond its appointed length. Human affairs as we know them, will come to an end. Time will run its course, and finally be swallowed up by eternity. When that will be “only the Father knows.”

    Presently, men have more knowledge about things in the earth than things in heaven. This is even true of the natural order; things concerning celestial space are not as well known to men as things on this our own planet. In Hebrews 8:5 the Spirit reminds believers that the entire tabernacle service, together with the priests that accomplished it, were a “copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” They were infinitely more than a mere blueprint reflecting heavenly realities.

    This purpose is fully as grand and glorious as it appears and even more. It is the purpose of the ages that has driven every involvement between God and men. This is the purpose behind salvation, the proclamation of the Gospel, and the new creation realized in Christ Jesus. It is the reason behind the Father and the Son taking up residency with us. It is that for which spiritual growth prepares us. This is the ultimate aim of Christ’s present intercession, guidance, and fellowship. It is the goal of the Spirit in making intercession for us, and leading us in what we do. It is not possible that God’s purpose will not come to pass. The only real issue is whether or not we participate in it. That participation begins here, in this world. It begins when we are born again, and continues throughout our lives through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.

“Blessed”

Nugget #5 - Redemption brings forgiveness, there is no other way.

(1 John 1:8) – “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 

    I am going to draw from and give credit to John MacArthur for his content on his website called “Grace to you”. I like what he has to say concerning forgiveness;

   “The value of the gospel is that it provides complete forgiveness of all sin for the sinner who embraces the gospel. And the forgiveness that God provides for us is so comprehensive that it removes from the believer all defilement, all shame, all guilt, all punishment forever and replaces it with righteousness, security, and eternal reward. This is the gift of forgiveness. It is inviolable, it is irrevocable, nothing or no one can cause the forgiveness granted to the believer to be taken back, or to be rescinded. No one can talk God out of it, or change His mind, or successfully bring up any accusation against that believer that would cause God to cancel that forgiveness. The consummate promise that we cling to with regard to that is found in the eighth chapter of Romans verse 1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

    Back in Romans chapter 4 verse 7 and 8 – taken from Psalm 32 say, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” We are blessed because God will never take our sins into account. The Old Testament says; “He has buried them in the depths of the deep blue sea, He has removed them as far as the East is from the West, and He remembers them no more.”

    Yet, in spite of this gracious and merciful generosity on God’s part toward all who repent and embrace Jesus Christ, we (according to 1 John 1:8-10) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” This is a statement of fact. However, very confusing to many.

    MacArthur goes on to say, “Psalm 32 is prayed by David. David was a believer. David was a child of God who confessed his sin. In verse 1 David says, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” In verse 3 He said, “When I kept silent about my sin my body wasted away through my groaning all day long; For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me, my vitality was drained away…Then I acknowledged my sin to Thee, my iniquity I did not hide, I said, ‘I’ll confess my transgressions to the Lord, and Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.” Yes, David was a child of God, but when he didn’t confess his sin he felt tremendous pressure. It distressed him. What was happening was the guilt that was flooding his mind was having an impact on his body. Then he confessed and opened his heart, and he felt the free flow of God’s forgiveness and restoration. Believers by nature do this. It is the result of the work of God in them. It is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in them. It is the result of the Word of God in them, all of which convict of sin. Yes, God convicts the conscience of non-believers…but we are talking about born again Christians here.

    So, we have a problem here. We have a dilemma. Why would I confess and ask God to forgive my sins if I know that He has already forgiven my sin in Christ Jesus?”

    MacArthur goes on to give several opinions others have given on the subject, but here is the one that makes the most sense, and I believe I can agree with;

    “Well how are we to understand this apparent contradiction? Simple really, there are two kinds of forgiveness. It is true, as I said, that all our sins are forgiven as far as the judgment of God is concerned, He did that on the Cross. (That’s called “Justification”.) The ongoing confession of sin is related to sanctification. God is still grieved when his children sin. Yes, we are justified (which takes care of the judicial, or penalty of sin) but He wants us to be “sanctified” because we have not been delivered from the presence and the consequence of sin. That is an ongoing process and that is why we must continue to confess and be cleansed.”

(www.gty.org)

1 John 1:9 – “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins), and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Still looking at Ephesians 1:3-14;

Nugget #3 - But, what about the part about being “holy and blameless in His sight”? When we think of words like “holy and blameless” we think that holiness is all about being absolutely sinless and pure, and we don’t want to claim that for ourselves. But it’s not that at all.

    Holiness means “wholeness” and wholeness means “to be restored to the originally intended function, for proper use"…that’s all. Physical wholeness prevails when the body works the way it was intended to work. So, man (who was created in God’s likeness) body, soul, and spirit, are all functioning the way they were intended to function, we are “holy”.

    O.K. what about “blameless”? We have a tendency to confuse this word with “sinless”. There is a huge difference. If you did something sinful, and you acknowledge it, apologize for it, ask forgiveness, and do what you could to restore it, then there’s nothing more you can do. You can’t change the fact that you did it. At that point you are not sinless, but you are blameless. This is what God intends for us through Jesus Christ, to be blameless and made whole. Being made “whole” is a process however, (sanctification) made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. So, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit are all three involved in making us “holy and blameless”. 

Nugget #4 - Ephesians 1:7 - “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”

    So, let’s start with “redemption”… Here are a couple more scriptures;

Galatians 3:14 – “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 – “ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

    “Redeem” means to regain possession of something in exchange for payment; to retrieve, regain, recover, reclaim, or buy back; synonyms are exchange, convert, or give in exchange for something.

    There is something about that term “redeemed” that brings joy to the Christian heart. We have been saved, washed, bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ! What a gift it is to be redeemed! Free from sin; Born again; all things new!

    A story is told of pastor A.J. Gordon of a church in Boston. He met a young boy carrying an old rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Pastor Gordon asked him, “Son, where did you get those birds?” The boy replied, “I trapped them out in the field.” “Well, what

are you going to do with them?” Gordon asked. “I’m going to play with them for a while, then I’ll just feed them to the old cat we have at home.” The preacher said, “I’ll give you $2.00 for the cage and the birds.” “It’s a deal.” Said the boy, “but your making a bad bargain, they can’t even sing very well!” The boy then went away whistling, and happy with his $2.00 Pastor Gordon then went around behind the church, opened the cage, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.

    The next Sunday he took the empty cage to the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ’s coming to seek and to save the lost, redeeming them with his own precious blood.

    We have been held captive to sin, but Jesus purchased our pardon, and set us free! When you have this life-changing experience of being Born again, you will understand that God chose you and loved you while you were yet dead in your sin, and He gave His only Son to redeem us back to Himself. Jesus was a priceless sacrifice. He was the perfect sacrifice. The perfect Lamb of God. And, while this plan of God may confound us, it ought to lead us to worship! It says in Acts 4:12 that “There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved, but only the name of Jesus!